Former India pacer Madan Lal has said that the return of Rohit Sharma in the India white-ball squads which were announced for the upcoming home series against the West Indies, was a good thing and he hoped that the captain was fully fit. He also opined on Bhuvneshwar Kumar being dropped from the ODI squad.
Team India is set to play three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad from February 6 followed by the T20I series at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata from February 16.
"Definitely Rohit Sharma's comeback is a good thing. I hope he is fully fit because we need him at no 1 and no 2 because in ODIs and T20Is, the first ten overs are very crucial to win the match and Rohit Sharma is a master of that position. He has also scored a lot of runs. So, it is a good thing that he is making a comeback," Madan Lal told ANI.
"You are selected because you have performed in One Day matches or T20 matches. This is an opening for Ravi Bishnoi. I wish him luck because he is a good bowler. Whatever I have seen of him in the IPL that his ball can turn and skid as well. He is also known as a good fielder. So, we need to give chances to youngsters and we need to introduce one or two youngsters on a regular basis," he added.
Madan Lal also felt that the BCCI selection committee was correct in dropping Bhuvneshwar Kumar from the ODI squad for the West Indies series given his poor performance in South Africa ODIs recently.
"Selectors have taken the right decision in dropping Bhuvneshwar Kumar because he is not performing. I am surprised why he is in T20s also. I think selectors have given him a new lease of life because when you are performing, then only you get a long rope. You need to perform if you are given a long rope," said the former pacer.
"If you are not a match-winner for the team, then selectors will pick someone else like Avesh Khan as he has performed really well. He is a very talented youngster and I think selectors have done really right thing. It is up to him on how he performs now," he added.
India ODI squad:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan.
India T20I squad:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel.
(ANI inputs)
